A delegation of Alaskans have converged on the nation's capital to respond
to President Clinton's request for trees from the Tongass National Forest
to decorate the capital during the 1998 Christmas season. Their response:
"Grow Your Own."

Earlier this year, the White House picked the Tongass National Forest
to supply 60 Christmas trees to decorate the Capitol Building, White House
and other government buildings in 1998. However, the Alaska legislature,
in a formal resolution, opposed the harvesting of the trees saying, "The
Alaska legislature recognizes harvesting of Alaska's trees to provide pleasure
for those far removed is symbolic of a failed national policy which has
cost Southeast Alaska communities thousands of year-round, family supporting
jobs and caused untold personal suffering."

Since 1990, close to 3,000 Alaskans have been forced onto the unemployment
lines as a result of the Clinton Administration's extreme policies.

"The President wanted a Christmas gift of 60 trees from the Tongass.
While we could provide hundreds of thousands of trees, the President's
request is hypocritical given the forced shut-down of the Tongass and the
resultant devastation to families and communities," said Dick Coose,
Executive Director of Concerned Alaskans for Resources and Environment (CARE).

Coose and other Alaskans instead offer an alternative: A pine cone in
a clay pot.

"This way the President can grow his own," said Coose. "The
pot can also serve as a reminder to the President that his policies are
forcing our economy to go to pot."

Coose is one of some 300 property rights advocates, timber workers, ranchers,
farmers, fishermen and recreationists visiting Washington, D.C. to participate
in the seven annual Alliance for America "Fly-In for Freedom."
The Fly-In is being held at the Washington Courtyard Hotel (525 New Jersey
Avenue, N.W.) from June 7-11 and will feature close to 100 speakers and
40 panels.

For more information or to arrange an interview with Dick Coose or another
member of the Alaska delegation, call Laura Cleland, Mike Beard, or David
Ridenour during the Fly-In at 202/879-7966. After the Fly-In, or to leave
a message, call 202/543-4110 or e-mail [email protected].